Educational toy



v. EHRMAN EDUCATIONAL 'r'oY Oct. 20, 1925- Filed 1:66.23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 20,I 1925- .m m s. .m r s 9 im@ y m Y 4 0 Z @EW n S 1 1 3 4 3 no V r 2 1 a j z a nr 0 f R m F WWW .n f V/ N ,w m m n. .0 3x H n w l E nAu D v v. m m n n l '"47"I| 'al Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR EHRMAN ,OF Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

EDUCATIONAL TOY.

Application filed December 23, 1924. Serial No. 757,635.

To all whom. t may concern: A

Be it known that I, Vieron` EHRMAN, a citizen of th-e United States, residing 4at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful `Improvements in Educational Toys,.of which the following is a specification.

educational toys.`

It is an object of the invention to provide an educational toy, consisting of a plurality of keys upon which are 'inscribedllettera which keys actuate panels upon which are mounted statuettes or images, so that the statuettes willbe caused to be exposedto view upon the actuation of certain keys whereby a child may become familiarwith the letters of the alphabet as associated with various images.

A further object of the invention isfto provide an educational toy which will be `of rugged construction, easily and cheaply manufactured, and whichwillhave a Aconsiderable amount of keducational value.

Vith the foregoing and other "objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had.- to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein-fy y Figure 1 is aperspectiveview of the improved educational toy.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the toy. Q

Fig. 3 is a side elevationtof one of the panels upon which a statuette. or image is mounted.

` Fig. 4 fis a sectional view illustrating Aa modification of construction.

` Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters desigi nate similar parts throughout, the improved toy consists of a base indicated at 10, to which end walls 11 and 12 are secured. Strips 413, 14, 15 and 16 are secured across i the front edges of the end walls 11 and 12.

19, so-that each one of the panels -17 may hinge independently of any of the other panels. Suitablecleat's 2O serve to secure the` This invention relates to ,improvements in The fabric tapes `18 are cut)V adjacent their upper edges, as indicated a't` tapes 18 to the strips 13, 14 and 15 respectively, and a suitable adhesive is employed for securing 'the upper portions of these tapes to their'respective panels. The tapes 18provide thel hinges for the panels, although it-is understood that various other liinge constructions may be substituted thereor.

The lower edges of the panels 17 are in line with the upper edges of the strips 13, 14 and 15 respectively.` The upper edges of the panels 17 bear upon .the outer face of the strips, that is, the upper edges of the panels 17 which are 'secured to the strip 13 bear against the face of the strip 14, and in a like manner, the panels 17 secured to the strip `14 bear against the face of the strip 15.` The panels 17 which are secured to the strip 15 bear againstV the uppermost strip 16. In this manner, each of t-hepanels 17 is slightly outwardly inclined. Y A brace 21 is secured across the back edges of the end walls 11 and 12. Suitable iiexibleelementa generally designated, at 22,

are secured to the panels 17 by means of suitable eyes 23. These eyes are positioned slightly above the bottoms of their respective panels 17. Theiiekible elements 22 may be of fine wire, cord, string, thread or the like, "and are threaded through 'suitable eyes 24 mounted upon the'forward face of the brace 21. A

Extendingbetween the end walls 11 and 12 there is a spindle 25'upon which keys A26 are `rotatably mounted. Suitable washers 27 may be interposed between the keys 26 upon the spindle 25 so that each of the keys may' be independently` rotated kwith respect toeach other. Adjacent the rear of each to the base 10 along its rearmost edge. Elastic members 30 are secured between the eyes or staples 29 and the hooks 28. These elastic members may be in theform of rubber bands, springs or equivalent construction and' serve to urge the forward portion of each ofthe keys into its uppermost position. i i

Letters, as shown in Figure 1, are inscribed upon the forward portions of each of the keys. The flexible elements 22, after being threaded throughthe eyes 24, are secured to the hooks 28. A suitable -roof structure, indicated at 31, may be mounted and suitable eyes or staples 29 arefastened u l represent a duck 88.

upon the end walls 11 and l2, and if desired, suitable openings 32 may be formed therein.

In the present embodiment of the invention, a lever 33 is pivotazlly mounted, as indicated at 34, upon each of the end walls 1l and l2, and a suitable image or statuette, as indicated at 35, is mounted uponthe free end thereof. A flexible element 36 is secured to the lever S3, and after being threaded through an eye 37, is secured to a key 26. As shown in Fig. 8, each of the panels 17 carries a small statuette, the statuette illustrated in Fig. 3 being intended to The operation of the toy is as follows:

When a key is depressed against the action of its elastic member 3 0 the flexible element 22 connectedl to that key 'is loosened and this permits the corresponding panel 17 tol which the fiexible element'isconnected, to fall outwardly and downwardly. The panel 1T will naturally fall when the flexible element 22 is loosened .because of itsoutward inclination. Each panel has its downward movement 'limited because of the cleats 20, 'as will be readily understood, so that when the key is depressed the panel actuated thereby assumes an approximately horizontal position.v

As previously stated, the objectl of the toy is to acquaint a child with the various letters of the alphabet by associating these letters with the various statuettes displayed. For example, if the kev D is depressed, a panel will be caused to fall and assume a horizontal position displaying a duck thereon, Vand in the course of time a child naturally associates the letter D with'a.- duck. In

similar manner, if the -\key"H is depressed, a horse will be displayed. AThe -key F vpreferably actuates the lever 33 so that a fiag is Ccaused to be raised through the opening 3Q. In a like manner, the key bearing the letter R may cause a rooster mounted on a similar lever, to beI thrust upwardly .through its corresponding opening 32. When/the keys are released elastic members 30 cause the keys to assume their original position and the flexible elements 22- to` retract the panels 17 into their original positions, so as to hide the statuettes mounted thereon. Then all of the keys are released, the panels cooperate to form a front wall for the building which the toy may be formed to simulate. In the present embodiment of the invention the toy is kintended to simulate NoahsArk and to display the animals therein.

-From the above itis seen that an improved educationalltoy isprovi-ded having end wallsfbetween which extend strips upon which are hingedly mounted panels carrying'statuettes, images and the like, andthat key means is provided for separately actuating the various panels so as to expose the statuettes carried thereby to view.

It is understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction with out departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. An educational toy comprising end walls, a spindle secured between said end walls, keys pivoted upon said spindle, a support secured between said en'd walls, panels hinged to said support, statuettes mounted upon said panels andmeans connecting said keys to said panels whereby when said' keys are depressed said panels will be caused to assume horizontal positions so as to display the statuettes thereon.

2. An educational toy comprising end walls, a spindle secured between said end walls, keys pivoted upon said spindle, a sup port secured between said end wallss panels hinged to said support, statuettes mounted upon said panels and means connecting said keys to said panels whereby when said keys Vare depressed said panels will be caused to assume horizontal positions so as to display the statuettes thereon, and means for" re* tracting said keys and panels into a predetermined position whereby said statuettes will assume a hidden position when said keys are released.

l3,. -An educational toy comprising end members, strips secured to kand extending between said end members, panels carrying statuettes hingedly mounted upon said strips, a spindle extending between said end members, keys pivotally mounted upon said spindle, means associated with said lkeys whereby one of said keys is depressed a corresponding panel will be released tjoexpo'se the statuette mounted thereon,l and when said key is released said panel will be moved so as to hide the statuette mounted'thereon.

4t. An educational toy comprising end members, strips secured to and extending between said end members, panels having statuettes mounted thereon hingedly mounted upon said strips, a spindle vdisposed between said end members, keys pivotally mounted upon 'saidspindle, and flexible elements connecting saidkeys to said panels whereby when -a key is depressed a corresponding'panel will be caused to move so as to expose the statuette thereon.

5. An educational toy comprising end members, strips secured toand extending between said end members, panels having statuettes mounted thereon hingedly mounted upon said strips, a spindle'disposed between Asaid end members, keys pivotally mounted upon said spindle, and flexible elements connecting saidkeys to said panels whereby when a key is 'depressed a corresponding panel 'will be caused to move so .as

to expose the statuette theron, and resilient means for causing said keys and panels to assume their initial positions upon release of said keys.

6. In `an educatonal toy, end members, a spindle disposed between said end members, keys pivotally mounted upon said spindle, a top mounted upon said end members, an opening formed in. said top, a lever pivoted upon one of said end members, a statuette mounted upon said lever, and means conneoting said lever to one of said keys whereby when one of said keys is depressed the statuette mounted upon said lever will be caused to pass through said opening so as to be exposed above said top.

7. In an educational toy, end members, a

spindle disposed between said end members, keys pivotally mounted upon said spindle, a top mounted'upon said end members, an opening formed in said top, a lever pivoted upon one of said end members, a statuette mounted upon said lever, means connecting said lever to one of said keys whereby when one of said keys is depressed the statuette mounted upon said lever will be Caused to pass through said opening,l so as to be exposed above said top, and means for retracting said statuette and said key into their original position upon release of said key.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

VICTOR EHRMAN. 

